:: Options for Non-monetary Benfit-sharing - an Inventory

This paper provides an analysis of existing non-monetary benefit-sharing arrangements and considers if and how such arrangements could be applied in the implementation of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The analysis of a range of current benefit-sharing clauses in national laws, and agriculture-related benefit-sharing contracts reveals that all are based on bilateral arrangements, and therefore can provide only limited guidance for the multilateral approach of the Treaty. We have then analysed options for multilateral approaches to the three types of non-monetary benefit-sharing distinguished in the Treaty, i.e. information exchange, capacity building and technology transfer, including possible institutional arrangements, based on existing mechanisms. Our conclusion is that opportunities for multilateral non-monetary benefit-sharing exist, that they can be rooted in current best practices, and that they can be implemented in a way so as to achieve ‘quick wins’.